Mystery at Sleepy Creek
by Karen M
Summary: Lee and Amanda are assigned to solve three murders at a West Virginia dinner theatre aver Halloween weekend-Parts I and II
1. Default Chapter Title

MYSTERY AT SLEEPY CREEK  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters are the property of Warner Bros. The story if mine for your enjoyment.  
  
TIME FRAME: Third Season- Halloween weekend  
  
RATING: PG-13  
  
SUMMARY: Lee and Amanda are assigned to solve murders at a dinner theatre called Sleepy Ridge.  
Near the mountains in West Virginia.  
  
AUTHOR'S COMMENTS: Lee and Amanda are progressing with their relationship in this short story.  
There is emotion and tender moments of love. If this offends anyone, then don't continue reading.  
Theirs is a special romance.  
  
  
PARTI  
  
Sleepy Creek Dinner Theatre was progressing well financially, and didn't need a black mark against it.  
The mysteries offered were suspenseful, solvable (after some obvious twists) and most of all, fun.  
Weekend murder solving was becoming big business,one that the town needed in order to supplement  
it's total incoming revenue.  
  
The most popular get a way weekend was by far, Halloween, The drama for the upcoming weekend  
was entitled "The Ghost Walks at Midnight." Halloween fell on the weekend this time, Friday night.  
Patrons would check in Thursday, October 30th and stay until November 2nd.   
  
Three murders had been committed at the dinner theatre within the past nine months, all of them being  
local actors, and also full time employees of the local U. S. Government Weapons Installation located  
five miles from the town, namely A. I. W. L.  
  
American International Weapons Laboratory was the county's largest employer. Weapons design and  
placement, especially missiles was the base's specialty.  
  
The new CM-19 ballistic missile was being developed here and security was very tight. If the CM-19 plans  
got into the wrong hands, major damage to other countries could occur. The missile was capable of   
enormous destruction..  
  
There had been two attempts to break into A. I. W. L. to steal the preliminary diagram for the CM-19.  
One try, the most recent September 29th , had been partially successful, but not enough to complete  
an entire draft.  
  
The Agency was keeping track of the whole situation, but there wasn't much information to collect.  
Thorough investigation of all three murders did, however, reveal connection to German intelligence.   
The Agency was positive that another attempt would be made soon to capture the rest of the CM-19  
Plans. Therefore, the felt it was necessary to send two agents in to solve the case.   
  
PART II  
  
"The Ghost Walks at Midnight" featured light comedy with dramatic twists. Guests at the mystery  
weekend dinner theatre actually participated in trying to solve the "crime". A Halloween party was  
scheduled Friday night as a prelude to start the drama.   
  
Lee and Amanda were assigned as a married couple, from the D. C. area celebrating their Anniversary.  
They arrived at Sleepy Creek Thursday night, with reservations for a single room. Their cover names  
were Lee and Amanda Simpson.  
  
Philip and Jamie were spending the weekend with their father, and Dottie was visiting friends, so  
Amanda 's schedule was not hurried for a change.  
  
The couple decided to observe the surroundings of their quest with the excuse of getting a snack.  
In actuality, they were hungry. The only open area of the dinner theatre was, luckily, the snack bar.  
They enjoyed roast beef sandwiches and milk. Milk, for Lee Stetson, will wonders ever cease.  
As they dined, Lee observed them being watched out of the corner of his eye. In the shadows was   
Mark Lindley, director of Sleepy Creek, and a German intelligence agent.   
  
Instead of walking back to their room, Lee and Amanda decided to take an evening stroll around the area.  
The starry night was beautiful, like twinkling lights on a Christmas tree. When placed as background  
for a picturesque little town , the effect was romantic and peaceful.   
  
Lindley continued to follow the two as they walked, hand in hand, gazing at the stars.  
  
"Amanda, we're being trailed, so it's pretty important that we play our cover to the hilt, after all, it's our  
second anniversary. We've got that scenario down, haven't we," Lee reminded her.  
  
"Yes, dear," she said jokingly, a sneaky smile crossing her face. "C'mon now, let's get serious," Lee  
cautioned her, "we've got to make this look effective."  
  
"O.K., o.k." replied Amanda. "Coming closer together would help to start with," Lee smiled seductively,  
o.k., dear," He proceeded to place his hands around Amanda's waist and touched her lips lightly with  
his. Amanda wrapped her arms around Lee's neck, and moved as close as she could to him. "Amanda,"  
Lee murmured, as he kissed her lips voraciously. Both were breathless when they finally broke apart.  
  
"Oh, God, Lee , that was intense," whispered Mrs. King. "You know that wasn't just a cover kiss , Amanda, I really meant it," purred Lee, looking into her beautiful, brown eyes, and moving in for  
another kiss. She eagerly responded, moving her hands around his waist tightly. "Do you know what  
you do to me with just a simple kiss,?" he murmured against her mouth . "The same goes here, Scarecrow," she managed to say catching a breath.  
  
A few more minutes went by with the situation between the two rapidly becoming heated and passionate.  
Lee broke unsteadily and weakly said, "I think we've convinced him by now that we're having a great  
Anniversary. Let's go back to our room."  
  
"Fine by me," Amanda followed , mesmerized by this special man in her life, and all that was enfolding.  
  
"Amanda, you can use the bathroom first, I'll relax and take notes, and check in with Billy, so take your  
time." Amanda nodded, slipping in to take a shower, and trying to still the hormones running rampant  
inside her, at the nearness of Lee.   
  



	2. Default Chapter Title

Part III to conclusion-Mystery at Sleepy Creek  
  
DISCLAIMER: Found in Part I  
  
RATING: PG-13  
  
SUMMARY: Lee and Amanda are assigned to solve a string of murders at a West Virginia   
dinner theatre over the Halloween weekend.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm trying to get away from the romance, everyone, but having a hard time.  
I will also work on building a better story. Thanks for listening. Enjoy  
  
PART III  
  
Amanda wore a sleeveless, revealing midnight blue nightgown for bed.   
"You can use the bathroom, now, Lee." She turned to look for him. He snuck up behind her, wrapping  
his arms around her waist, and kissing her neck. The sensation caused shivers up her back. Amanda  
turned toward Lee, snuggling in his embrace, and looked up into his beautiful, hazel eyes with her hands  
on his lapels.   
  
"You have no right to look so beautiful, and smell so sweet, Mrs. Simpson, you're making it very difficult  
for me to keep control of my emotions and hormones." He kissed her lightly. "Wait up for me, would you?  
We have to talk about tomorrow's itinerary."  
  
"Don't worry, Lee, I will," smiled Amanda.  
  
Amanda sat on the queen size bed waiting for him. Fresh from his shower, Lee noticed that she was  
looking sleepy, and promised himself to keep the briefing short.  
  
Lee sat next to her, and explained that they would have brunch with the rest of the guests tomorrow,   
then briefly take a tour of the nearby town of Clarksburg. They would stop by the library to research  
the back issues of the town newspapers to ascertain any interesting information in connection with the  
CM-19. Lee suggested they also visit the surveyor/architect's office to review construction plans   
for possible alternate entrances to the A. I. W. L. site.  
  
That night at dinner and a Halloween dance, observing everyone would be their most effective way   
towards solving this mystery.  
  
Amanda took all this information in quite handily, despite her tiredness. "Amanda, I think we'd better  
call it a night, so I'll say goodnight," voiced Lee. He took her in his arms, held her tightly, and kissed  
her with all the passion he was feeling. Amanda responded instantaneously, feeling her hormones  
checking in again. Lee lightly probed at her lips with his tongue, asking for entrance. She opened her  
mouth gladly, their tongues dancing wildly. Lee's hands began a journey over her body , rubbing her   
stomach, traveling upward toward her breasts, feeling her shiver through the thin material of her gown.  
He abruptly stopped.  
  
"No," she protested, breaking the kiss, and looking into his eyes, the message from her saying "don't  
stop please." "Lee, what's wrong?"  
  
"I can't, Amanda, I can't," He sat with his head in his hands. "Don't you understand. This relationship  
with you is so special to me," he turned and looked her straight in the eyes. "It's not just a one night stand,  
I want this to last forever," he said, taking her hands. "Leslie was a substitute for you, and a wake-up  
call for me, that's it's been you all along. The clincher occurred when I said your name in the heat of  
passion," Lee continued.   
  
"I love you, Amanda, so much." moving a lock of hair away from her face, and caressing her cheek.  
She grabbed his hand, and kissed it, "I love you, too, Lee, for so long now. I understand, we'll take   
it slow tonight." She leaned in and kissed him goodnight. "Goodnight, Lee. I love you."  
"Cuddle with me, Amanda," Lee smiled and both fell asleep with their arms entwined around one   
another.   
  
PART IV  
  
Halloween morning was clear and cool. The brunch provided by the theatre was delicious. Afterward,  
the two agents drove to Clarksburg , and commented on the small town beauty. They spent about an hour  
at the local library looking at back issues of the town papers. Lee found two brief articles about the CM-19  
on when production started on the missile. Amanda produced nothing effective.  
  
Later on that afternoon, at the architect's office, the construction plans for A. I. W. L. showed a lesser  
known back entrance which could be used. Lee took a copy of that part of the plans.   
  
The two drove out to view A. I. W. L. As they approached, the guard took note of the silver Vette.  
Lee worked his way around the back to get a look at the alternate entrance. It was unguarded.   
  
As Lee turned the Vette around to exit, shots rang out, and hit the side window. "Amanda, get down,"  
shouted Lee. He maneuvered the Vette out of the range of the bullets. "Whew, that was too close for  
comfort." Scarecrow drove rapidly back to Sleepy Creek.  
  
For the Halloween party that night, Lee's costume was Dracula. Never had the monster looked so good.  
When Amanda came out of the bathroom with her costume on, what there was of it, a harem outfit,   
all the right body parts were revealed, including her belly button. Without thinking. Lee remarked,  
"Amanda, you can't wear that in public, I won't let you."  
  
His partner became angry. "You won't let me. You don't own me, Lee. I'm not really your wife. Who  
are you to dictate to me what I can or cannot do!"  
  
Well, things had been going well. Lee took both her hands. "I'm sorry, you're right. It's just that you  
look so beautiful, I don't want to share you with any other man. Forgive me?"   
  
"This time," agreed Amanda, "look, it's only for one night. We have to work tonight anyway, remember?"  
"Yeah, mostly observation. If someone makes a move on you, their history, understand."  
  
"Yes, sir, understood." Amanda was trying to lighten the mood.   
  
Dinner was very good, and the Simpson's danced almost every dance. Lee saw Lindley directing the   
waiters,and alternately keeping an eye on himself and Amanda. Previously, Lindley had called the head  
of the whole perpetration, Frederick Umball. Lindley was told to deal with the agents.  
  
"The Ghost Walks at Midnight" started with a prominent family member of the Van Sant's murdered  
by an assassin's knife trying to save the family treasure. This was Ludwig Van Sant. The guests were  
told to look around for any evidence in connection with Ludwig's plight. Pieces of jewelry were found  
scattered about. The lights suddenly darkened. The ghost of Ludwig appeared next, walking with a large  
sword, avenging any wrongdoer from tryng to steal the family treasure. He moaned at the guests, and   
was all decked out in pasty white clothing . Then, he was gone, as suddenly as he had appeared. The  
lihts came back on, and Mark Lindley was found on the floor, dead, amid screams from the female guests.  
Backstage, Frederick Umball, looked on with a self-satisfied smile, the second half of his plan having been  
completed. The local police took care of the body. Lee and Amanda kept track of everything.  
  
Tomorrow night, the rest of the CM-19 missile plans would be confiscated from A. I. W. L., and the   
American agents would have to be killed  
The drama continued Saturday with a brunch, and the guests trying to guess from further planted   
evidence who the murderer was.   
Lee and Amanda slipped out around 2:00 p.m. to A. I. W. L to try and prevent any further plans for  
the CM-19 from being stolen. They entered the back way to the plant. The next instant, Umball   
had a gun at their backs. "Mr. Stetson , and Mrs. King, welcome. Nice of you to pay us a social   
call" seethed Umball. "Too bad, it's such a short stay."   
  
"Please follow me," Umball led the way to a windowless, basement room. "Hope you are comfortable  
here. Better say your goodbyes, the gas kicks off in half an hour." "What about the rest of the CM-19  
plans, Umball?" "Taken care of, Stetson. Don't worry your little agent head about it."  
  
Umball left, arranging for the poison gas to start filtering in the basement room in the next twenty  
minutes. "Lee, what can we do?" Amanda was frightened.   
  
Lee looked around, and asked "Hand me that crowbar, quickly." Lee tried to loosen the overhead  
register . It loosened somewhat. Finally, after further probing, 15 minutes had gone by, and the  
grate came off. "Quickly, up through here," he warned Amanda, "no time to spare. I'll follow  
behind you." Lee managed to squeeze in after her, "follow it all the way to the end, hurry, Amanda."  
  
Moving as quickly as she could, and with very sore knees, Amanda and Lee met the end of the register  
system with breakneck speed. As they jumped clear, the gas filtered through the grate tunnel behind  
them.   
  
"Hurry, out the back exit." Lee grabbed her hand. They turned the Vette toward the dinner theatre.  
Upon arrival, they saw Umball loading a white van. Stealthily, Lee crept to the back of a nearby  
car unnoticed. He had retrieved another weapon from his car. Umball closed the backdoor of the  
vehicle. Lee sneaked into the van using the same door, waiting for Umball to return.  
  
Scarecrow disabled the German subversive. Umball and his cohorts were turned over to local   
Government agents . They would be tried for the three murders. These three men found out  
about the confiscation of the CM-19 plans, and wanted a share of profits after the sale to the  
Germans. Now the case was concluded.   
  
Lee checked in with Billy, upon concluding the A. I. W. L. case, and was told "good job done",  
for Amanda and himself. Also they were given Monday off.  
  
Amanda and Lee attended the farewell party given by Sleepy Creek, Saturday night. They were  
congratulated by all the guests on their solving of the murders. Lee did not like the limelight, so  
they quickly returned to their table.   
  
Later on, when the guests filtered out, and the band was still playing, Lee and Amanda danced to   
the soft, romantic music. Lee held his partner, friend, and someday soon, lover closely, kissing   
her forehead . He reveled in her closeness, and he knew he wanted to be with her forever  
  
THE END   



End file.
